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|
|
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? Akasha
|
Space, Ether
|
|
–The subtle and ethereal fluid supposed to fill and
pervade the universe and be the vehicle of life and
sound
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* Angushtha
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Thumb (or Big Toe)
|
VARIATIONS:
1) Padangushtha
2) Supta Padangushtha 3) Sit
in Vajra with the toes
turned under
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? Ardha narishvara
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Hermaphrodite
(ardha = half; nari
= woman; ishvara =
Lord)
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–“The male principal is ... Fire, the devourer, while
the female principle is Soma, the devoured
offering. The Hermaphrodite is then the
embodiment of the cosmic sacrifice, the image of
the universe” (Danielou, The Gods of India, 203)
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? Baddha pakshi ishvara
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Bound Lord of Bird
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* Baka
|
Crane or Heron
|
Same
|
–Also a “hypocrite, cheat, rogue, the crane being
regarded as a bird of great cunning and deceit as
well as circumspection”
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*^ Bhadra
|
Auspicious,
Prosperous
|
Baddha kona
|
–Also “blessed, fortunate, happy, gracious,
excellent, beautiful, lovely”
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* Bhairava
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Terrible
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Mula bandha (stage 1)
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–Derived from bhiru, “fearful, timid, cowardly”
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? Brahma
|
Immense Being
|
|
–Derived from brih, “to expand, increase, make
strong”; the one impersonal universal spirit
manifested as a personal creator and as the first
of the triad of personal gods; he never appears to
have become an object of general worship
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? Brahma prasadita
|
Brahma Pleasing
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* Chakra
|
Wheel or Circle
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Urdhva dhanu
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? Chandra* Chakra
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Moon
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–Literally “glittering, shining; a lovely or agreeable
phenomenon of any kind”
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? Chandra kanta
|
Beautiful Moon
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–The Moon Stone, a gem supposed to be formed
from the congelation of the moon’s rays and to
dissolve under the influence of its light
The moon’s white rays the smiling night
illume,
And on the moon-gem concentrated fall,
That hangs in woven nets in every hall;
Whence cooling dews upon the fair
descend,
And life renewed to languid nature lend.
- Meghaduta
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* Chaurangi
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Name of a maha
siddhi (see HYP 1.5)
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Squat with raised heels on
balls of feet. Lean torso
between arms and spread
palms on floor. Hold elbows
by sides of torso.1
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? Chitra pitha
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Excellent Seat
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? Chitra karani
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Excellent Instrument
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*^ Dhanu
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Bow
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Akarna dhanu (in GS = dhanu)
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? Dharavaha
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?
|
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* Dridha
|
Firm
|
Like Ananta, but top leg not
raised (called dridha lying on
left side; lying on right is
dakshinasana)
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–Also “whole, complete; steady, resolute;
confirmed, established; intense, violent”
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*^ Gomukha
|
Cow Face
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Same (legs only)
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*^ Goraksha
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Cow Herder
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1) In padma, stand on knees
2) From bhadra, sit on heels
3) Like siddha (in
Gheranda)
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* Hamsa
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Swan or Goose
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Like Mayura, but feet stay
on floor
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–A bird of passage; sometimes a mythic or
poetic bird, the vehicle of Brahma; soul,
typified by the pure white color of a goose
or swan, and migratory like a goose;
sometimes the Universal Soul, identified
with Viraj, Narayana, Vishnu, Shiva,
Kama, and the Sun; resolvable into aham
sa, “I am That”
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? Indrani
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Wife of Indra
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–One of the 8 mothers or divine energies; also
called Divine Grace (Shachi); the pupil of the left
eye (Indra is the pupil of the right eye)
- I am the banner and the head, a mighty arbitress
am I ... Rig Veda 10.159
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? Kabandha
|
?
|
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* Kama dahana
|
Desire (kama)
Consumed
|
Mula bandha (stage 2)
|
-Literally the “burning up of the god of love (Kama)
by Shiva”; the “gods, perturbed by the power of
the antigod Taraka, sent Kama to awaken Shiva
from his meditation. The angry god, disturbed by
Lust, reduced him to ashes with the fire that
flashed from his central eye. Hence Lust became
the Bodiless (Ananga). Moved by the plaints of
Desire (Rati), Shiva allowed Lust to be reborn as
Pradyumna, the son of Krishna ...” (Danielou, The
Gods of India, 313)
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? Kanta
|
Beloved
|
|
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? Kanthava
|
?
|
In Padma, cross arm in front
of torso and hold big toes
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* Karmuka
|
Bow
|
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* Khaga
|
Moving in the Air
(i.e., Bird)
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In Padma, lie prone, lift the
chest and head off the floor,
hold ribs with hands
|
–The “chief of birds,” Garuda, Vishnu’s vehicle
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* Krauncha
|
Curlew or Osprey
(Heron)
|
Same
|
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Kukkuta (5 types)
|
Rooster
|
|
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1) *^ Akarita k”
|
Rooster-like
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Kukkuta
|
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2) ? Bandhachuli k”
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Bound Crest
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3) ? Eka pada k”
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One Foot
|
Possibly equivalent to Pangu
|
Kukkuta, performed by balancing on one hand
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4) ? Panchaculi k”
|
Five Crest
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5) ? Parshva k”
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Side
|
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*^ Kurma (3 types)
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Tortoise
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Sit in vajra, evert feet (from
Gheranda)
|
–The earth considered as a tortoise swimming on
the waters; Vishnu’s second incarnation, who
descended
to support the mountain Mandara at the churning
of the ocean
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2) * Baddha k”
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Bound Tortoise
|
Sit in kurma, cross arms
behind back, grasp feet (or
simply grasp each foot with
same-side hand)
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3) ^ Uttana k”
|
Extended Tortoise
|
Garbha pinda (either sitting
or lying on back; according
to some sources holding
earlobes is called Garbha,
wrapping hands behind neck
is Uttana Kurma)
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*^ Manduka
|
Frog
|
Wide-knee Vira (hands can
be inserted under knees)
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* Markata
|
Monkey
|
Like Uttana
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*^ Matsyendra (3 types)
|
Lord of Fish
|
Ardha matsyendra ?
|
|
2) ? Baddha m”
|
Bound Lord of Fish
|
|
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3) * Parshva m”
|
Side
|
Sit right buttock on right
heel, set left foot to outside
of right hip; twist left, right
back shoulder to outer left
knee, clasp hands behind
back; reverse
|
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Mayura (6 types)
|
Peacock
|
|
|
1) * Bandha m”
|
Bound
|
Hamsa (another source: legs
in Padma)
|
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2) *^ Danda m”
|
Staff
|
Mayura
|
–Also “scepter as symbol of power and
sovereignty, rod as a symbol of punishment”
|
3) * Eka pada m”
|
One Foot
|
Eka pada koundinya I?
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4) * Parshva m”
|
Side
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Dvi pada koundinya
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5) * Pinda m”
|
Ball
|
Eka pada koundinya II
|
–Also “embryo in early stage of gestation”
|
6) ? Sahaja m”
|
Natural
|
|
–Derived from saha “jointly, in common”; ja “born
or descended from”
|
? Mushtika
|
Handful
|
|
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* Nabhi lasita padaka
|
Foot Playing at
Navel
|
From bhadra, grasp feet
with hands, lift heels to
navel (see next)
|
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* Nabhi tala
|
Sole to Navel
|
See previous
|
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* Naga pitha
|
Serpent-Demon Seat
|
Possible Bhujanga or Sarpa
|
–Nagas are a race of serpent demons inhabiting
the waters or city of Bhoga-vati under the earth;
they are supposed to have a human face with
serpent-like lower extremities, their kings are
Shesha, Vasuki, and Takshaka
|
? Narjava
|
?
|
|
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* Niralambana
|
Unsupported
|
Like Makara, but chin
supported the palms joined
“like a lotus”
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* Pada pindana
|
Foot Press
|
In Tada, bend one knee,
bring heel to buttock, hold
ankle with both hands
|
|
Padma (4 types)
|
Lotus
|
|
|
1) *^ Bandha
|
Bound
|
Same
|
|
2) ? Kara
|
Making
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|
|
3) * Samputita
|
Bowl-Shaped
|
In padma, stack cupped
hands in lap
|
|
4) ? Shuddha
|
Pure
|
|
|
* Pani patra
|
Drinking Out of the
Cupped Hand (pani)
|
Kanda
|
|
*^ Pashchimatana
|
West
|
Same
|
–Pashchima, “being behind, later, last, final”;
pashchima sandhya, “evening twilight”; pashchima
avastha, “last state,” i.e. verging on death
|
* Phani indra
|
Drinking Out of the
Cupped Hand (pani)
|
Kanda
|
|
*^ Pashchimatana
|
West
|
Same
|
–Pashchima, “being behind, later, last, final”;
pashchima sandhya, “evening twilight”; pashchima
avastha, “last state,” i.e. verging on death
|
* Phani indra
|
Serpent King
|
Dvi pada shirsha
|
–Phanindra is another name for Shesha
|
? Raja
|
King
|
|
–Cognate with “royal” and “regal”
|
? Ratna
|
Jewel
|
|
–Also “gift, present, wealth, riches”
|
* Saura
|
Sacred Sun, Divine
|
Perform utkata, squatting
on raised heels; then extend
one leg
|
–Derived from sura, “wise person,” and surya,
“sun”
|
*^ Sharabha
|
Deer or Grasshopper
|
1) Like shalabha
2) From vajra, lean
forward, place forehead on
floor, stretch arms behind
back
|
–Fabulous animal supposed to have 8 legs and
inhabit snowy mountains, stronger than the lion
and the elephant
|
*^ Shava
|
Corpse
|
Same
|
–Derived from shvi, “to swell”
|
* Shayita pashchimatana
|
*^ Shilpa
simhaReclining
West
|
|
|
*^ Shilpa simha
|
Ornament Lion
|
Same, called Simha
|
|
? Shuddha pakshi
|
Pure Bird
|
|
|
*^ Siddha
|
Accomplished
|
Same
|
–Also “fulfilled, effected, gained, acquired; one
who has attained the highest object; perfected,
endowed with supernatural faculties; holy, divine;
true or right, proved; effective, powerful,
miraculous; a semi-divine being of great purity and
perfection and said to possess the eight
supernatural faculties; any inspired sage or
prophet or seer, any great adept in magic”
|
*^Simhasana
|
Lion
|
Same
|
|
? Sudha asara
|
Shower of Nectar
(sudha)
|
–Sudha, literally “good
drink,” the beverage of the
gods; honey of flowers;
juice, water, milk
|
|
? Sumandraka
|
Very Slow
|
|
|
*^ Svastika
|
Auspicious,
Fortunate
|
Like siddha
|
–Mystical cross or mark made on persons or things
to denote good luck (it is shaped like a Greek
cross with the extremities of the four arms bent
round in the same direction; the majority of
scholars regard it as a solar symbol; that is, as
representing a curtailed form of the wheel of the
solar Vishnu, consisting of four spokes crossing
each other at right angles with short fragments of
the periphery of the circle at each end of each
spoke turning round in one direction to denote
the course of the sun ...)
|
? Utpada tala
|
Emerging Sole
|
|
|
? Utphalaka
|
Jumping
|
|
|
*^ Vajra
|
Thunderbolt,
Adamantine
|
Sit on heels (from Gheranda)
|
–The “hard or mighty one,” thunderbolt, especially
that of Indra, said to be formed out of the bones
of the rishi Dadichi, and shaped like a circular
discus, or in later times regarded as having the
form of two transverse bolts crossing each other
thus: X
|
? Vichitra nalina
|
Beautiful Lotus
(nalina)
|
|
|
* Vidhunana
|
Trembling
|
Squat on raised heels,
stretch one leg out, touch
the toes with the same-side
hand
|
|
*^ Vira
|
Hero
|
1) Ardha padma
2) One leg in ardha vira, the
other in ardha padma (from
Gheranda)
|
|
* Vrishchika
|
Scorpion
|
Same
|
|
* Vyaghra
|
Tiger
|
1) Like simha, hands on floor
beside hips, torso leaned
slightly forward
2) On all fours, round back,
draw one knee toward head,
then reverse (from Dharma
Mittra)
|
|
* Yoga nidra
|
Union Sleep
|
Same
|
–Meditation-sleep, which admits of the full
exercise of mental powers; it is peculiar to
devotees; the sleep of Vishnu at the end of a
yuga; Vishnu’s sleep personified as a goddess; the
great sleep of Brahma during the period between
the annihilation and reproduction of the universe
|
